Regional integration is key to food and energy security, says US envoy

Regional integration is key to food and energy security, says US envoy

WASHINGTON: In an effort to encourage and support regional cooperation in efforts to combat climate change and improve food and energy security, the US is working with Oman, the UAE and India to develop projects that benefit the region and the wider international community, a leading American official said on Thursday. Speaking during a briefing at the end of official visits to the UAE and Oman, Jose W. Fernandez, the US under secretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, said he had discussed projects related to food security, clean energy and space with government officials and business leaders from both countries. He added that his visit is part of Washington’s efforts to build on the Abraham Accords — US-sponsored agreements by the UAE and Bahrain to normalize relations with Israel, which were followed by a similar move by Morocco — and encourage further normalization efforts by Arab states. Fernandez said the primary aim of his visits was to promote and facilitate cooperation between countries in the wider region, including India and Israel, in the development of, and investment in, projects related to solar and wind energy, agriculture and food security. About 850 million people in the world